On 18 September 2011, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) is holding its Aerospace Day in Cologne-Porz. On this date, DLR and the European Space Agency (ESA) – alongside other partners, will be showcasing their research projects from the aerospace, energy and transport sectors.

At German Aerospace Day 2009 in Cologne, visiting aircraft included an Airbus A380 and DLR's A320 ATRA (Advanced Technology Research Aircraft) research plane. The aircraft are parked on 'Zulu stand', part of Cologne-Bonn Airport, which is adjacent to the DLR site.

On German Aerospace Day DLR and the European Space Agency (ESA) – alongside other partners, will be showcasing their research projects from the aerospace, energy and transport sectors. High-tech will be on show for young and old visitors alike to encounter and experience.

On 18 September 2011, the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) is holding its Aerospace Day in Cologne-Porz. On this date, DLR and the European Space Agency (ESA) – alongside other partners, will be showcasing their research projects from the aerospace, energy and transport sectors. High-tech will be on show for young and old visitors alike to encounter and experience. Philipp Rösler, the German Federal Minister of Economics and Technology is the patron of the event. SOFIA, the airborne observatory, will be making its first ever appearance in Europe. SOFIA is a Boeing 747 with an infrared telescope installed at the rear of the fuselage. The Airbus A380 and DLR’s fleet of research aircraft will also be shown to the general public.

On German Aerospace Day, between 10:00 and 18:00, DLR’s institutes and facilities will be opening their doors and showcasing their work on the ‘Knowledge for Tomorrow’. Among other things, scientists and engineers will be presenting their work on space medicine and its terrestrial applications in the fields of telemedicine and travel medicine. The aero-engines of the future will also be exhibited; these will enable aircraft to fly more quietly and with lower levels of pollutant emissions. Another range of displays will be presenting high-tech materials for aircraft and spacecraft. Visitors can inform themselves about on-going space missions, such as research work on the International Space Station (ISS), and also take a look inside the operations centre for the landing module of the Rosetta comet mission. Astronauts undergoing training at ESA’s European Astronaut Centre (EAC) for living and working on the ISS will be reporting on their work and life in space.

Airbus A380, A300 Zero-G and unique research aircraft

Visitors can view the unique aircraft of DLR’s research fleet on the tarmac at Cologne-Bonn Airport. These include the world’s most modern helicopter, the EC135 FHS, the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, a ‘flying lecture theatre’, and DLR’s largest research aircraft, the Airbus A320 ATRA. Other highlights for visitors will be the Airbus A300 ZERO-G ‘parabolic flight’ aircraft, as well as the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 747 SOFIA. The German Air Force (Luftwaffe), a partner at German Aerospace Day, will also be participating with aircraft such as the ECR Tornado, the F4 Phantom and the Eurofighter, as well as a Transall C160 and the Airbus A310 MedEvac, which has already performed service on international disaster relief missions. On display to the general public for the first time ever, the German Army’s pair of Airbus A340 aircraft will showcase their airborne troop delivery capabilities.

Much to discover for young researchers

On German Aerospace Day, children from pre-school age and upwards can become researchers too. In the company of their parents, they will be able to explore the site on a Science Rally or conduct their own experiments in aerospace, astronomy and the environment in the ‘House of Young Researchers’. Older children and young people can conduct experiments in the fields of aerospace, energy and transport research in the DLR_School_Lab facility; or they may choose to follow the programme on the children’s stage and join planetary researchers in the search for Martians.

The Human Resources and Personnel Marketing departments will provide information about DLR as an employer and education provider. In addition, DLR scientists will deliver lectures about their work and latest projects.

This year, the co-hosts of this major event include Cologne-Bonn Airport and the Luftwaffe as well as the European Space Agency (ESA) with the European Astronaut Centre (EAC). The media partners are WDR and the Cologne-based newspapers Stadt-Anzeiger as well as two trade journals, Flugrevue and Aerokurier.